SATV Kathmandu Aug 27 : The US government is set to hand over two Skytrucks and one air ambulance to the Nepali Army to boost the aviation strength of the national army, and health service outreach.
The US has informed the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Defence, and the Nepali Army headquarters that it will deliver a pair of Skytrucks and an air ambulance in the first week of September.
The two Skytrucks are part of a US grant, but the status of the air ambulance is unclear. Officials from various government agencies refused to reveal the exact status—whether the air ambulance is also part of the US aid package or being procured by the Nepali Army.
Sources in the government said out of a total five aircraft—two Skytrucks, one air ambulance and two Bell helicopters—the US will provide, four will be grants and one will need to be procured by Nepal.
Probably the air ambulance is part of Nepal’s procurement, according to the sources, but its actual status has not been disclosed by the defense ministry and Nepal Army.
The army will use the planes to transport goods, rescue the injured, transport VIPs, and for parachute jumps.
The two sky trucks landed in Kathmandu on August 23, according to a correspondence sent by the defence ministry to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The defence ministry had earlier requested the foreign ministry to facilitate customs, air clearance, and airfield clearance at the Tribhuvan International Airport, as well as to give clearance to the US ambassador to attend the handover ceremony. A special ceremony will be organised for the handover.
On July 15, the US Embassy communicated to the defence ministry on the arrival of the two Skytrucks in Kathmandu airport on August 23 and sent a diplomatic note. However, Nepali Army spokesperson Brigadier General Raja Ram Basnet told the Post that the army is yet to get any communication from a government agency on the handover.
In October last year, the Nepali Army had received a communication from the US stating it will provide two Skytrucks and two Bell helicopters. Of these, the US side will hand over two Skytrucks and one Bell helicopter this month.
The package is part of military assistance valued at about Rs 13.38 billion. US officials have also hinted at the possibility of providing an additional Bell helicopter, according to officials from defense and foreign ministries.
In 2023, the United States ordered two M28 Block 05 cargo and troop transport aircraft from Poland for the Nepali Army. Lockheed Martin’s Polskie Zakłady Lotnicze (PZL), the manufacturer of the M28 Skytruck, said in a statement that it had received an order for two new M28 short take-off and landing (STOL) aircraft.
The contracting authority, the Air Force Life Cycle Management Centre based at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base in Ohio, US, awarded the contract on behalf of the US government.
In October 2024, PZL Mielec conducted multiple test flights with one of the new M28 Skytruck light utility aircraft destined for the Nepali Army’s Air Wing. These new aircraft will enhance the Army’s capacity for cargo transport, medical evacuation, and personnel movement across the country’s challenging terrain.
The M28 Skytruck’s high-wing design and robust landing gear allow it to operate efficiently in Nepal’s mountainous regions. Its versatility and reliability make it a valuable asset, improving the army’s operational reach for both military and humanitarian missions, according to the statement issued by the manufacturing company in 2023.
Under the $30.3 million contract, PZL Mielec is responsible for delivering the aircraft to Kathmandu, along with flight training, spare parts, medical equipment, technical support and ferrying services. The delivery originally scheduled for April 30, 2025 has now been pushed to August-end.
The M28 can carry a crew of two to three plus 12 paratroopers or up to 18 passengers, depending on mission requirements.
This is the second time the US has procured M28s for Nepal under the US Foreign Military Financing programme.
The first batch of two skytrucks had landed in Kathmandu on December 8, 2019 from Poland under a US$19 million contract.
The M28 aircraft is operated by the Polish Navy, the United States Air Force, the Vietnamese Air Force, the Venezuelan Army and Indonesia Air Police. With these two new editions of Skytrucks, NA now has 7 aircrafts (small and medium) and 15 helicopters.
Besides this, in 2024, August, US intended to provide $100 million as foreign military finance to support Nepal’s rotary wing capabilities. This commitment was made by visiting US Deputy Secretary of State for Management and Resources Richard R Verma with Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli.
During Verma’s visit, the US embassy also revealed that the US was ready to assist the Nepali Army in acquiring helicopters for disaster response. The Nepali Army had previously requested US support to procure two helicopters during Chief of Army Staff Prabhuram Sharma’s visit to the United States.
Deputy Secretary Verma stated that the US intends to provide $100 million in foreign military financing to support Nepal’s rotary wing capabilities, pending Congressional review and availability of funds, according to a State Department statement issued late Saturday.
Rotary wing aircraft are small drones capable of vertical take-off and landing, autonomous hovering, slow cruising, high maneuverability, and higher payload capacity compared to fixed-wing aircraft.
Verma also confirmed that the US is providing two additional Bell helicopters to support Nepal’s disaster response capabilities.
Earlier, the Nepali Army had planned to procure two helicopters from Russia. But the US quickly offered two Bell helicopters instead.
